Cantor Elisa Abrams Cohn has been hired as the spiritual leader of Arlington Congregation Beth Shalom effective Sept. 1.
Cohn, a native of Los Angeles, California, is a master visionary and leader who thrives on creating transformational opportunities through prayer, teaching, relationship building and innovative programming. She knew from a very young age that she wanted to pursue the cantorate and inspire those around her to connect with God, the Torah and Jewish tradition.
Cohn is quadrilingual: proficient in English, Spanish, Italian and Hebrew. Upon graduating from college, she moved to Jerusalem for her first of five years of graduate study with the H.L. Miller Cantorial School of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTS). The following year, she moved to New York City, where she continued her studies at the main campus of JTS and added a second master’s degree in Jewish education through the William Davidson Graduate School of Education.
In May 2012, Cohn was ordained as a cantor and graduated with dual master’s degrees in sacred music and Jewish education, as well as earning her Certificate of Hazzan.
Cohn is married to Daniel, and together they have two beautiful children: a son, Eden, who is 3 years old, and a daughter, Moana, who is 1. They also have two small terrier rescues, Harry and (Woof-gang Paw-madeus) Mozart!
Outside of her religious obligations, one of Cohn’s greatest passions is traveling, as she believes that travel is one of the greatest ways to learn. She has traveled extensively through Europe, the Caribbean, French Polynesia, North America and parts of Asia and North Africa. She also enjoys cooking (she and her identical twin sister Shoshana started a cooking blog called Chef Times Two, www.cheftimestwo.com) and relishing time with her family.
The Cohns recently relocated to the DFW community to be closer to family. Being in Texas is a dream come true for Cohn, as she lives near her twin sister and best friend, Cantor Shoshana Abrams Kaikov, as well as her parents, mother-in-law and cousins. She feels incredibly blessed and is ready to begin this new journey with the community.
Congregation Beth Shalom is a Reform Jewish community welcoming to all. “Our services are both warm and participatory,” says Stuart Snow. For more information, visit www.bethshalom.org, or contact Membership Chair Stephanie Posner at membership@bethshalom.org.